OPTIMISE YOUR CIRCADIAN BIOLOGY

The metabolic challenges we all face translates to energy and body composition alterations which are suboptimal for our health and lifespan. Depending on your environment/ lifestyle, your current age, your luck regarding maternal inheritance of key health promotors (your mother's microbiome and mitochondrial genetics), you may already experience challenges with health and energy levels. However, even those with no current complaints will do well to take this information into considering for longevity, health span and cognitive function.

The metabolic challenges we all face translate to energy and body composition alterations which are suboptimal for our health and lifespan. Depending on your living environment/ lifestyle, your current age, your luck regarding maternal inheritance of key health promotors (your mother's microbiome and her mitochondrial genetics), you may already experience challenges with health and energy levels. However, even those with no current complaints will do well to take this information into considering for longevity, health span and cognitive function.

Chronobiology refers to our living systems being biologically regulated by an internal clock, which very directly influences all physiological processes such as sleep, metabolism, hormone release, and behavior. Environmental factors that tell our bodies what time it is, are called Zeigebers- German for 'time giver'. The biggest cues for these are: Light, temperature, and feeding schedules, and these can either help or hinder to synchronize biological rhythms to the external environment, a system designed by Nature to allow animals to survive and thrive. Humans would do well to listen to these cues set by Nature!

If you are dealing with a chronic condition, giving your body the best metabolic cues that you can would assist in faster recovery or better health outcomes. If you are looking for optimal performance for physical and cognitive aspects or simply want to feel the best you can, these recommendations are both logical AND biological, as they follow the rules of our physiology.

Lifestyle factors:

• See the sun rise as often as you can, otherwise the first morning sun soon after rising, for at least 15 mins
• "Clock in"- get natural light exposure through the day as often as you can, e.g go outside 5- 10 mins several times through the day. Maximise light exposure to your eyes safely but do not wear sunglasses, use a hat if you are not able tolerate the brightness, this will improve with exposure.
• Get more UV light safely, without burning, to optimise vitamin D via sun exposure. Use D Minder App to know how to do this, considering your skin tone and geographical location and season.
• Minimise, reduce, avoid blue light depending on time of day- less towards the end of the day and none after sunset. Modify your lighting at home and in the office , use lighting which blocks blue light after dark.
• Invest in tools to support- bio-light down lights, appropriate bulbs, SAD lamps, glasses/ lenses, screen filters
• During sleep, have the bedroom as dark as possible. Use an eye mask to sleep if there is ambient light you cannot control

Dietary considerations:

• Eating in day light hours is ideal: breakfast after sun rise, eat dinner before the sun set or as early as possible in the winter short days
• Overnight fast every night/ day, a minimum of 12 hours and depending on individual requirements/ restrictions, may go to 14 or 16 hours.
• Eat foods which are local and seasonal. Consider your diet as it relates to the wider ecology and your geographic location.